PARIS — A high-profile theft of paintings by French Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir has renewed concerns about the protection of valuable artworks in France, with experts and officials calling for stronger security measures at museums.

Two paintings remain missing following a break-in at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. The thieves entered the museum early Tuesday after cutting through a garden fence and took four Renoir works. Two of the paintings were later abandoned in the museum grounds as the suspects fled after police responded to the alarm.

The two missing works are “Madame Colonna Romano” and “Young Woman at the Well.” They are on loan from Paris’s Musée d’Orsay and have been valued at a combined amount of several million euros. Authorities have launched an investigation and are continuing the search for the suspects.

The incident has attracted particular attention because the museum occupies the former home of Renoir and contains works and objects connected with the artist. The break-in has also revived concerns about whether smaller museums have sufficient resources to protect internationally important cultural collections.

Security specialists say stolen masterpieces can be extremely difficult to sell openly because their identities and ownership histories are widely documented. Nevertheless, art theft remains a significant concern because criminals may attempt to use valuable works as leverage or move them through illicit networks.

French authorities are now facing renewed pressure to improve physical security at museums, including stronger barriers, surveillance systems and emergency procedures. The case has also added to wider concerns about a series of art thefts affecting cultural institutions in Europe.

Investigators are expected to examine surveillance footage, forensic evidence and possible links to organized criminal networks. Recovering the missing paintings could take considerable time if they have already been moved away from the region.

The theft has therefore become more than a single museum burglary. It has highlighted the continuing challenge of protecting cultural heritage while maintaining public access to historic museums and collections.